Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

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Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

MP
ᒧᒥᓛᖅ ᖃᖅᑲᖅ
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Nunavut
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byHunter Tootoo
Personal details
Born1993 or 1994 (age 25–26)[1]
Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
ResidenceIqaluit, Nunavut

Mumilaaq Qaqqaq MP (Inuktitut: ᒧᒥᓛᖅ ᖃᖅᑲᖅ; born 1993 or 1994; also known by Trina Qaqqaq)[2][3][4] is a Canadian activist and politician, currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Nunavut in the House of Commons of Canada since her election in 2019.[1]

Qaqqaq is the first member of the New Democratic Party to represent Nunavut since the creation of the territory in 1999; Peter Ittinuar (MP for Nunatsiaq) previously represented what is now Nunavut as an NDP member until switching affiliation to the Liberal Party in 1982.[5] In addition, she is currently the only non-Liberal MP from Northern Canada.[1]

Early life[edit]

Qaqqaq was born in Baker Lake, Nunavut, and later moved to Iqaluit.[6]

Before her election to Parliament, she was a facilitator, public speaker, and volunteer, best known for a speech she made in the House of Commons on International Women's Day in 2017.[7] She worked as an employment officer with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, and as a wellness program specialist with the health department of the Government of Nunavut. She has held positions with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, working with Susan Aglukark in the Arctic Rose Foundation,[8] and with Northern Youth Abroad.[9]

Political career[edit]

Qaqqaq was approached by the New Democratic Party to contest the 2019 Canadian federal election in Nunavut, and accepted their nomination in September 2019.[7] Qaqqaq's Conservative opponent in this race, Leona Aglukkaq, had represented Nunavut in Canadian Parliament from 2008 to 2015, winning both the 2008 and the 2011 federal elections in Nunavut.[10] Aglukkaq had held four ministerial portfolios under Stephen Harper, including Minister of Health and Minister of the Environment. The Liberal incumbent, Hunter Tootoo, had been the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard from 2015 to 2016. Tootoo announced in July 2019 that he would not seek re-election, after a scandal had prompted the Liberal Party to remove him from their parliamentary caucus in 2016.[11] Instead, the Liberal Party nominated Megan Pizzo Lyall, producing a noteworthy race in which the three major party nominees were all Inuit women.[12]

Qaqqaq's age at the time of her election, 25, was almost identical to the average age in Nunavut of 24.7.[5][7] This was viewed as an asset in her election,[13] and Qaqqaq emphasized the contrast between her recent entrance into federal politics and the Liberal and Conservative parties' histories of representing Nunavut.[7] During the campaign Qaqqaq's stated priorities were to reduce Nunavut's suicide rate, increase access to housing, and ensure food security in Nunavut.[5][14][15]

Electoral results[edit]

2019 Canadian federal election: Nunavut
** Preliminary results — Not yet official **
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Mumilaaq Qaqqaq 3,861 40.8 +14.2
Liberal Megan Pizzo Lyall 2,918 30.9 -16.2
Conservative Leona Aglukkaq 2,469 26.1 +1.3
Green Douglas Roy 206 2.2 +0.7
Total valid votes/Expense limit 9,454 100.0
Total rejected ballots 88
Turnout 9,542 51.1
Eligible voters 18,665
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +15.35
Source: Elections Canada[16][17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Sara Frizzell, "NDP's Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, 25, is Nunavut's next MP". CBC North, October 21, 2019.
  2. ^ Rohner, Thomas (13 September 2019). "Nunavut New Democrats opt for youthful advocate of change". Nunatsiaq News. In 2017, under the name “Trina” Qaqqaq, she appeared in the House of Commons on International Women’s Day and received a standing ovation after she spoke about Nunavut’s suicide crisis.
  3. ^ "Trina Qaqqaq at Daughters of the Vote". Daughters of the Vote. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Trina Qaqqaq". CBC News. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. ^ a b c Woods, Melanie (2019-10-23). "Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, Nunavut's New MP, Is Ready To Bring Her Voice To Ottawa". Huffington Post Canada. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  6. ^ LeTourneau, Michele (September 13, 2019). "NDP turns to youth for Nunavut candidate, Mumilaaq Qaqqaq announced to run for MP". Nunavut News/North.
  7. ^ a b c d Rohner, Thomas (September 13, 2019). "Nunavut New Democrats opt for youthful advocate of change". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  8. ^ Driscoll, Kent (2019-09-21). "Nunavut's NDP candidate in federal election is 25, just like the Inuit who founded the territory". APTN. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  9. ^ Frizzell, Sara (September 13, 2019). "NDP pledge to put youth first with 25-year-old candidate in Nunavut". CBC North.
  10. ^ "Nunavut's former Conservative MP to run in fall election". Nunatsiaq News. 2016-04-12. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  11. ^ Cohen, Sidney (2019-07-30). "Nunavut MP Hunter Tootoo won't seek re-election". CBC News. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  12. ^ Wood, Stephanie (2019-10-21). "Three Inuk women in close race for Nunavut's federal seat". National Observer. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  13. ^ Tranter, Emma (2019-10-22). "Nunavut's new member of Parliament ready to get to work". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  14. ^ Gibson, Victoria (2019-10-15). "Nunavut candidates say lack of political education, social issues remain barriers to voter turnout". iPolitics. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  15. ^ Tranter, Emma (2019-10-16). "Three of Nunavut's federal candidates face off in debate on food security". Nunatsiaq News. Retrieved 2019-10-24.
  16. ^ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  17. ^ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 9, 2019.

External links[edit]

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